On selectivity... I have my son take 1/2 the zone away. That half can come out of the middle is you prefer but for him the cue is to "look down early in the count"....we take the lower half away. THe first pitch is not generally a high FB sucker pitch and we are ceratin the pitcher wants to be ahead. If he opens with a CB we usually take it unless it hangs big time. We want to take the bottom half of the zone away and mentally expect the ball to be there. It makes it easier to be selective than "get a good pitch to hit " cues for him.
The reason we like to hit it is that he tends to drive the ball flatter when the bat head goes down and flushes the ball. Now when and if it comes to two strikes. ....I think any batter can look down react up better than look up and react down AND...HE gets into his front side better and extends better.
Batting third he gets pitched tough....you know...you get two good pitches in the game. Most kids cannot handle the entire strike zone and we don't try until two strikes.
Good subject...thanks for letting me participate. My wife just doesn't like talking baseball...I don't get it.